Bottle-stopper.



Patented Feb. 20, I900. A. M. SIMS &. A. J. ARI-STEM.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

(Application filed Apr. 28, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

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. UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ANDREW M. SIMS AND ARFST J. ARFSTEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,689, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed April 28,1899. Serial No. 714,795. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW M. SIMS and ARFST J. ARFSTEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Bottle-Stopper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle-stoppers, and has for its object to provide simple and improved means for fastening the stopper within the neck of a bottle, so that the latter will be broken or damaged by the removal of the stopper, whereby the opening of an original bottle may be readily detected. 7

To this end the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bottle having the improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the fastening device. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modified form of fastening device.

Oorrespondin g parts are designated by like reference characters in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a bottle of common or ordinary form having the usual neck 2, and 3 designates a stopper of cork or suitable material fitted into the mouth of the "neck 2 to close the same in the ordinary manner.

In carrying out the present invention an opening 4 is provided through one side of the neck, near the top edge thereof, for the reception of the fastening device 5. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that this fastening device is in the form of a pointed pin having a head 6 at one end and provided with a spring tongue or spur 7, normally sprung from the body of the pin and having its free end extending toward the headed end of the In the application of the fastener, the stopper 3 being inserted in the mouth of the neck of the bottle and closing the inner end of the opening 4, the pin 5 is driven through the laterally into the stopper.

opening 4 from the exterior of the bottle and It will beunderstood that the spring tongue or spur 7 will be forced against the body of the pin by the walls of the opening 4, so as to facilitate the introduction of the pin through the said opening. When the pin has been driven into place, with its head 6 fitting flush against the outer surface of the neck of the bottle, the free extremity of the spring tongue or spur 7 will have passed within the neck of the bottle, and, being freed from confinement by the walls of the opening 4, said tongue or spur will spring outward into its normal position, and thus provide a stop-shoulder adapted to engage the interior surface of the neck of the bottle at one side of the opening 4, and thereby prevent the'removal of the pin. In view of the fact that the opening for the reception of the fastener is provided near the upper edge of the neck of the bottle the removal of the cork will result in damage to or breakage of the neck of the bottle above the fastening-pin, and thus it may be readily detected whether or not the original contents of the bottle remain intact.

It will be noted that that portion 8 of the body of the pin between the head thereof and the free end of the spur or tongue is of a size to snugly fit the opening 4 and the head 6 completely closes the opening, whereby it is impossible to insert an instrument through the said opening 4 for the purpose of releasing the spring tongue or spur from its engagement with the inner surface of the neck of the bottle.

As shown in Fig. 3, the locking spring tongue or spur 7 is struck or bent up from the body of the pin, while in the modified form shown in Fig. 4 the spur or tongue is formed by bending the end of the pin backward toward the head thereof. In each form, however, the distance between the inner face of the head 6 and the adjacent free end of the spur or tongue is somewhat greater than the thickness of the neck of the bottle, so that the spur may be readily released when the pin is driven to its proper position. Furthermore, it is preferable to have the free end of the spur or tongue engaged directly against the inner surface of the neck of the bottle, so

that there may be no longitudinal play or movement of the fastening-pin when in its locked position.

The present improvements are exceedingly simple and inexpensive, as the only addition to the ordinary form of bottle is the provision of the small opening4 in the neck of the bottle and the locking-pin 5. By the employment of the present invention a stopper may be readily and efiectually locked or fastened within the neck of a bottle and accidental removal or displacement of the stopper is prevented, and the opening of the bottle may be readily detected by the damaged condition of the neck, although the bottle is not rendered entirely unfit for renewed use.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claim may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What we claim is- The combination with a bottle having a transverse opening formed through one side only of the neck and located adjacent to the upper edge thereof, and a stopper fitted in the neck and closing the transverse opening therethrough, of a locking-pin having an enlarged head at one end, and a spring tongue or spur extending toward the head of the pin, the latter being inserted through the opening in the bottle-neck and into the stopper, the free end of the tongue or spur engaging the inner wall of the neck at one side of the transverse opening and preventing the withdrawal of the pin, the shank of the latter filling said transverse opening, and the head engaging against the outer side of the neck, covering the outer end of the transverse opening and excluding the insertion of an implement to compress the spring-tongue, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREWV M. SIMS. ARFST J. ARFSTEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. HAMILTON, THOMAS E. WRIGHT. 

